The End Is Where We Begin
by Knight of Tabitha
Summary: The final confrontation is under way. Bruce says his goodbyes to Selina and Jim Gordan is pushed to his breaking point when his wife and newborn daughter are in danger and he shows just how crazy he can be. If you think you know how it ends think again. Considering it a one shot but may add more depending on how well it's received. Reviews and all input are more than welcomed.


Bruce stood outside of Selina's jail it was cold and dark due to bad lighting. He was dressed in a nice suit. He had just recently gotten done at a wedding and what should have been a happy occasion turned into a nightmare. Gordon and his newly married wife someone nobody would have ever expected him to marry a few years ago, had finally tied the knot to make it even more romantic his wife was pregnant and was eight months along. Only Penguin finally decided to take his revenge on Gordon's so he had a sniper named Floyd Lawton shoot Gordon's wife as they left the church.

Selina though had the worst involvement Oswald offered to get her a good lawyer if she gave up the location of the wedding. When she said no he threatened Bruce so she gave up Gordon and the only woman who was ever really like a mother to her before what happened, happened anyway.

"How could you do it?" Bruce asked still shocked "How could you tell Penguin that Gordon and-"

"To save you!" She yelled "I told Penguin what he wanted to know because I still care about you!"

Bruce almost didn't want to believe her they spent so much time hating each other she never forgave him for paying her mother and she went down a dark road joining the sirens acting like they were her family and when Penguin came back and destroyed them she clung to only real parental figure she had ever known which made the divide much greater between Bruce and Selina "I thought you hated me."

"I-" Selina started choke unable to really say anything she too busy holding ack tears "I never stopped caring about you Bruce. I just I don't know what's wrong with me. I treated you like the selfish brat when I was being the selfish one. Why are you here I thought you were done with me?"

"I don't know I just wanted to- I wanted to know…" He paused giving her a long look she looked so broken he regretted not keeping in touch over the years he regretted a lot of things when it came to Selina like not respecting her enough to tell her the truth "I'm leaving Selina for a while I don't know how long I'll be gone I just wanted to know if I had a reason to stay. I thought no hoped maybe-"

"I could change?"

"She did. If some had told she'd marry Jim Gordon and become the mother of his child I'd honestly have laughed. Hard to believe she's running one of the most respected charities in Gotham."

Selina smirked finding it just as remarkable "She didn't change though Bruce. She took a hit from a hammer to the head because of Penguin and she got brain damage, lost her memory, and out of some guilt decided to become a regular Mother Teresa and help fix Gotham it was how she met Gordon after that Penguin put a hit out on her. Then Gordon ended up protecting her and… yeah when I first met her if you had told me she'd become a regular saint I'd have laughed but she didn't really change Bruce she died and someone… someone better took her place. That someone inspired Barbara to do better that someone…" Selina looked away unable to meet Bruce in the eye "That someone made me hope on some level I could change to."

"You don't think you could change? The way they changed?"

Selina's eyes flared with raged "Look at me! I was born and raised a street thief! I have crime in my blood! They got messed up by their families sure but at least neither of them had a lying con artist for a mother at least they had options and real jobs to fall back on. Barbara changed because they had history and despite the fact she fell for Jim Gordon, Barbara still cared for her that's why she died saving her because with Butch gone she was all Barbara had left! That's why I told Penguin because you are-" She stopped then leaned back composing herself "Look obviously as long as you still are friends with Jim Gordon. We cannot be together. What he and her have that is something we can't and they will not forgive me so if you care about your friendship with Jim you will forget about me."

Bruce nodded he wanted to disagree but Selina was too stubborn to listen to him "Well I figured I would try at least. I hope we get to see each other again someday." His phone started to ring "Detective Bulloch? Is Jim's wife okay?"

"Do you know where Jim is Bruce?" Harvey asked clearly worried "Cobblepot is missing I went by his place to bring him in for questioning but his guards were knocked out and he was gone. I called the hospital and Jim's wife finally woke up and the baby is fine but Jim left."

"Do you think Jim would take Penguin? After what happened with Theo Galavan?" Bruce asked hoping for a somewhat ideal answer like "No." or "Of course not." But sadly, Harvey didn't say anything for what felt like an eternity.

"This isn't like with Galavan, Bruce the doctor's they say she may not walk again. The baby had was born prematurely and almost didn't survive. Jim's baby girl is barely holding on right now so I don't know what Jim is going to do Bruce. I do know where he might go though, where it all started Bruce. I just pray to God I am wrong."

 **Gotham Docks…**

Gordon looked out at the ocean thinking back to all those years, ago. He really thought back then a man could get by in Gotham by doing the right thing. Nobody told him though that sometimes to do the right thing you on occasion had to do something tremendously wrong. He opened his car door taking out his gun. He walked to the back of his car popping open the trunk.

"Get out Cobblepot."

"Jim! Jim, please you need to listen to me." Jim didn't care to hear his words not any more they were beyond that now. It was colder this time so he wore a long coat and he'd grown a goatee. He pulled out the pleading Oswald he knew he swore to never go down this path again, he knew it was no different from what happened to Galavan but he jut didn't care he just empty nothing but rage fueled him now.

"Oh god!" Penguin recognized the docks he knew what Jim was doing "Jim listen! Your not really going to do this after everything-"

"Shut up." Jim Gordon's voice was very authoritative "Every regret I have Cobblepot circles back to here! Sparing you that day was the worst decision of my life."

A now crying Oswald walked to the end of the docks his nose and mouth were bleeding he looked exactly like he did on that day hell even the sky was cloudy. "You should be thanking me! She's bound to remember at some point and even if your brat lives it won't change the fact that when Mommy dearest remembers life from before the hammer, this sad little dream you are living in Jim will turn into a horrid nightmare!" Penguin proclaimed "I spoke to her doctors Jim they all agreed that her memory loss is only temporary they even told me after her last visit she's showing signs of regaining them." Oswald revealed getting into Jim's face "I did it because I wanted her to die because I knew once she finally remembered she'd be gone I just took care of her before she knew to cut and run and because she finally had some happiness I could take away at last." Oswald grinned only to get hit in the face landing flat on the concrete

"You think I don't know she's starting to remember? I pieced that much together before the doctors did. It didn't matter to me because like how the last few years and her new found remorse since her memory loss don't change what she did. Her past doesn't change the fact that for the last few years since losing her memories she's become the woman that I love! It doesn't change the fact that she is the woman who forgave me for killing Theo and helped me to move on and heal from the guilt! Her past doesn't change the fact that she became the woman I saw walking down the aisle. It doesn't change the fact that she became the woman who did more, good for this city including convincing Barbara Kean to finally get help, in the last few years than either of us have in our entire miserable lives! More importantly she is the mother of my daughter that fact will never change and no matter what version of her, our daughter grows up to know that fact will never change. Even if she goes back to being a remorseless killer that fact will never change."

Oswald's breathing got heavier it angered him the idea that the bitch might live and get a happy life and after especially after she "She killed my mother Jim! She and her brother murdered my mother and she no less than year later looked me in the eye and bragged about how I never did anything about it! Well I did something about it today! Even if Tabitha's brat lives you and her will never be safe because I have become a man who does not know love!" Oswald declared "I have become a man who cannot be betrayed, bargained with, a man who does not-" Jim fired the gun into Oswald's left shoulder.

Oswald started to cry as he looked up at Jim now he knew, he knew Jim could not be talked out of this that Jim would kill him at the very spot they first met and where their fates became forever linked "You can still bleed not much too fear if you ask me. Let me make something clear you may think Fish Mooney made you that she brought the so called great Penguin into being but that's a lie. You were made here the Penguin was born right at this very spot! The blood of your victims, the responsibility of every life you've taken and destroyed innocent or otherwise falls on me! That is why I'm killing you not just for my wife and daughter who are both fighting for their lives but because of what I unleashed that day when I sparred your life! Today I put the victims first for once!"

A police car pulled up behind Jim's Harvey Bulloch got out as quickly as possible. It was completely by chance that he guessed right. He guessed that Jim would want to kill Penguin at the place everything began. The irony that Harvey was here of all places to talk Jim out of killing Penguin was not lost on anyone.

"You should go Harvey you don't want to be here when I do what I have to do." Jim said to his friend.

"I can't do that Jim. Nobody wants Cobblpot dead more than me but this is not the way to handle it. He should be-"

"No!" He yelled back at his partner his eyes still focused on Oswald more determined than ever to do what he felt he had to do "He tried to kill Tabitha before and Barbara died saving her because she cared about her friend. I should have killed him then but I didn't because Tabitha convinced me to do the right thing!" He gave Oswald a scary look adding "That's just the kind of person Tabitha has become kind and caring the kind of woman who doesn't like people to get hurt no matter how badly they deserve it!" He started to laugh hysterically "It's funny we would end up back here well if it was by chance it would be but still the weather the state of Cobblepot here you can't tell me there isn't an element of fate here."

Harvey didn't know what to say it broke his heart to see Jim like this "None of us are who we were back then Jim. We've all changed even Cobblepot-"

"No! He is still the same parasite he has always been he, latches on to you he sucks you dry until there is nothing but a dried corpse and then moves on to the next victim. That's how he rose to power that's how he always comes back. My family may not survive today but if they do he cannot!"

"Listen to me Jim please!" Harvey's phone started to ring he answered "Bruce? Oh thank god. Jim it's Bruce he wants to talk to you. Please just listen to what he has to say." Harvey held out the phone slowly walking to Jim. Keeping his eyes and gun on Oswald, Jim took the phone "Bruce you shouldn't be calling this doesn't."

"Do you remember Matches Malone? Do you remember what you said to me about killing back at my home all those years ago. You told me that revenge only makes you more like the evil your fighting I'm asking you not to do this you have a daughter now. I'm here at the hospital your daughter is pulling through."

"Thank god." Jim honestly didn't know how his daughter or wife were doing. He was relieved to hear the worst had not happened then he took a deep breath "Still Bruce that doesn't change what has to be done."

Penguin started breaking into a hysterical fit of laughter "Are you crazy Jim? Tabitha after she remembers everything will probably make love to you look down on you with a warm smile say she loves you and then slit your throat! You should be hoping she dies!"

"Shut up Oswald! I'm not an idiot I know once she remembers her past she'll most likely kill me and not think twice about it. I have made my peace with that." Jim forced Penguin to back further Penguin was now stand at the edge the exact spot he and Jim stood all those years earlier.

Penguin blinked having made a realization "My god Jim. You love Tabitha despite the fact she might become her old self? You love her even though she could go back to being the woman who killed members of your own strike force? You are telling me you would love the woman who helped Theo Galavan attempt to destroy yours, mine and so many lives? I don't understand you-" Penguin stopped remembering how Barbara Kean was so confused when he told her he did hate Ed.

It was so long ago but that moment was so fresh in his mind. Even to this day he didn't hate Ed strange as it may seem. He even found himself wishing he could go back and do things differently "You should hate Tabitha." He finally finished now understanding why he could not hate Ed even after so many years.

"Your right I should but I don't and I think it's because-" Jim stopped as if he had an epiphany the look on his made it seem like all the years all the battles had been building to this moment he thought of all the people he met and what they did and why. He thought about how Strange viewed his experiments at Indian Hill as his own children, how he seemed to care for Bruce and Thomas Wayne in his own sick way, how Mr. Freeze did so many horrible things for his wife's sake, and how until Tabitha finally got Barbara the help she needed his ex was so obsessed with him. All this made him finally understand why he was so messed up and did the self-destructive things he did "I'm insane." Jim finally said sounding like a weight was lifted.

"What?" Oswad was confused.

"I'm motivated by love Oswald. Love isn't rational I would do anything for the people I love Oswald I would sacrifice anything. It is because I am ruled by love that I am as crazy everyone else in this city!" He started to laugh now scaring Penguin even more Jim looked out of his mind. "I loved Barbara, I love this city, I love my job, I love the excitement I love everything that I have been through good and bad and that is why I can say I don't care what happens to me because I will love it all the same. Do you understand?

"I am insane because I am in love! Love comes in so many forms and can be twisted and messed up and even in ways depraved but it is still love. Barbara understood this, Strange understood this, Freeze and hell even Nygma understand this. They all understood that to love is to be insane! That is why I belong here in Gotham it's not a city of madness it's a city of sick and twisted love. I now see that if Gotham were flesh and blood she'd be as twisted and sick as both Barbara and Tabitha use to be. If Gotham were a woman she'd be the most insane and unstable bitch alive but she'd also have an amazing capacity for love. For all the times Gotham hurts us she also loves her people with all her soul and that is another reason why as a cop I have, to do this to protect what I love because I love this city even if it has gone to hell I'll be walking along with it. I finally admit it.

"I admit that I Jim Gordon am completely crazy! I don't care if Tabitha gets her memories back one day and doesn't love me. I don't care if she kills me. I don't care because I love her and getting to know the version of her that became my wife that showed me there was light in the darkness of Gotham has made these last few years the best of my life!

"I now understand why Butch loved her so much and why he died protecting her from you he loved her enough to throw his life away just like I love her enough to throw my life away to her. I now know that I never went after Barbara because I loved her for all the pain and misery she caused me she made life fun. To love someone is to love them for every part of their soul. I loved Barbara for all the crazy he brought into my life, I love Tabitha for giving me back my humanity like she's done for so many, I love Bruce for inspiring me to stay on my course to enforce the law, I love the crazy criminals who make my life exciting, I love Gotham!"

Oswald just starred at Jim Gordon nearly about to piss himself "My god, Jim you have finally lost your mind."

"Jim!" Tabitha yelled hoping he'd hear her over the phone.

"Tabitha? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Listen I know you feel like you are at the end but you are not. You have a daughter now Jim-" She stopped herself "I mean WE have a daughter now and she will need us both Jim. Besides I haven't been completely honest with you. I remember everything I have for a while now. I just was-"

"Afraid I couldn't love you? The old you."

He could hear Tabitha start to cry "I don't even know which version is me. The murderer or the kind charitable woman who has helped so many people. I just know our baby girl needs both of us because I am afraid of screwing her up if I raise her on my own so you have to be the morally grounded one because God know it's not going to be me that will know how teach her right from wrong but you can't do that if you are in prison Jim so give Harvey the gun and come back to me and our daughter. You are sweet and not many men like you are out there so I need you and you."

"Okay I'm handing Harvey my gun right now." He carefully handed the gun to Harvey who then read Penguin's rights.

"You are never going to breath fresh air again Cobblepot." Harvey tightened the cuffs so tight that it made Oswald scream. "I got this Jim." The two friends shared a nod.

Jim continued talking to his wife as he walked to his car "Jim what do you think about naming our little girl Barbara? I mean in a way she brought us together and Barbara Kean does hold a special place in both of our hearts."

Jim just laughed "Okay I'll think about it but first we need to set some ground rules. First if you want to go back to the whole leather thing that's fine but just keep it separate from our daughter. I don't want to give our little girl any ideas."

Tabitha giggled "Jim Gordon… are you trying to make an honest woman out of me?"

"Maybe." He spoke playfully "We do have a problem though Penguin burned down our home."

"We can move into Theo's old place. It's large and has lots of bedrooms. Trust me on that it housed a cell full of lunatics and we can invite Silver over to babysit. She's made a great turn around and I think it's important Little Barb gets to know the more positive influences on my side of the family. Though if she asks about her Uncle Theo it would probably be best of we didn't tell her everything."

"Lord knows that we can't tell her about the Dumas family history with the Wayne's until she's older like maybe thirty. We certainly should omit certain truths regarding Barbara from Little Barb." Jim sighed as he started his car and started driving.

"What is it honey?" Tabitha asked worried.

"I just realized we are going to have to make up an entire fake history if we want our little girl to grow up in a safe and sane nurturing environment."

"Oh dear god your right. What should we say about how we first met?" Tabitha started biting her nails.

"Well we can say we met at a church through a mutual friend that we named her after. I mean that's close enough to the truth. We can even say her mom use to have jobs that kept putting us in each other's line of fire. That's close to the truth. Besides what is important is that Little Barb knows nothing about how her parents really met and what's even more important is that we make our history sound as normal and sane as possible."

"Hey sweetie I know we have a lot to do before we take our little girl home but when we get settled in I'll show you why Babs and Butchy always had smiles on their faces."

"Well…" Gordon smiled "I suppose I have been curious to see what all the BDSM fuss is about. Maybe we can take turns with the cuffs."

"Oh, don't tease." Tabitha started to get excited.

 **THE END?**


End file.
